Yet both were involved in incidents that were considered as dangerous throws.

Even experienced coaches like Tony Smith can be left baffled, so it’s no surprise that many feel there is general inconsistency in the decision-making process.

Straight after Sunday’s game, Smith thought his joint skipper should receive no further punishment after being placed on report for a dangerous throw on Wakefield prop Scott Anderson.

After all, Smith highlighted how he felt Saints hooker Roby had not been served a suspension for a challenge he considered to be worse a week earlier on Michael Monaghan at the Etihad Stadium.

Both attackers, Anderson and Monaghan, were lifted to the point that their legs were above the horizontal – albeit Anderson’s a little more so than Monaghan’s, with the former also being elevated a little higher.

Anderson also appeared to come down to earth with a heavier thump, although the landing position in both cases appeared to be the shoulder.

Both Westwood and Roby had help in completing the tackles, Anthony England for Wolves and Mose Masoe for Saints.

As a consequence of the tackles, both attackers were left shaken – even dazed. Anderson left the field but Monaghan carried on. Was that the telling factor in the outcomes?

In my opinion, Westwood’s was worse but only to a certain degree. So if one was guilty, surely the other one was too.

It all seems muddled. I have to question generally, though, whether consistency can be applied when other factors are taken into account too – previous good record, provocation, technique or fitness in some cases, genuine remorse, violence used, retaliation, injury caused or if the incident is not part of play.

So generally, the fact is, whether consistency is applied or not, it can be skewed by the other factors that may or may not have been applied.

Unfortunately, inconsistency also applies to other areas of the sport, referees’ interpretations of rules being one – especially with the speed of play-the-balls.

Ipsoregulated

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